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SPECIFICATION.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY OONGERN:

Be it known that I, GREVILLE E. CLARKE, of the city of Racine, Vin the county of Racine, and `State of I Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Animal Traps; and `Ido hereby declare and make known that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accom-` panying drawings, and the letters and gures marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

The object of my said invention `is to produce a trap especially adapted `to catching such animalsand birds i `as are gregarious in their habits and go in droves and flocks and to this end my said invention consists in so constructing and arranging a trap that when set it may be so adjusted as to allow any desired number of animals i or'birds'to enter or pass out without unsetting or closing the trap, but which, at the desired or predetermined moment, instantaneously closes and secures within it as many or nearly as many animals or birdsas `were cont i templated in setting and adjusting the trap.

To enable those skilled in the art to understand how to make and use my said invention, I will proceed to describe the construction and operation of the same with partcularity, making reference, in so doing, to the aforesaid drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan or top view of `my invention. Figure 2 is an end view or elevation thereof. Figures is a side elevation of the same; and Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. Similar letters of reference in the several figures denote the same parts of my invention.

A represents a box or bin, to which the trap is attached by means of hooks, as shown, or in anyother suit- 1, This box, which is designed to receive and contain the animals 'or birds entrapped, may be made expressly for the purpose, and provided with a suitable hinged or other door, a, through which l able and convenient manner.

the animals may be taken out, or the trap proper may be attached to any box or cask, which will serve thesame purpose. B represents the box or enclosure of the operating parts of my invention, which is attached to the box, A, or its equivalent, as-shown, a hole being ont into the side Voi' the receiving box corresponding with the open rear of the trap, so that the animal entering the `door of the trap passes directly intorthcreoeiving box A,` as shown in iig. 4. C represents the door of thetra' w rich is pivoted or hinged at c, so as to swing or open upwards, as indicated in figs. 1, 3, and 4, and to clos(` d wn in an inclined position, as indicated'in iig. 2 and'the dotteddines in iig. 4. When the trap is set the door is kept open by means of' a pivoted latch, n, one endof which lies under the edge of the door,` and the other end under a stationary stop, m, upon the en d of the trap, A as shown, saidlatch being susceptible of sliding laterallyupon its'pivot far enough to pass 4from-beneath the stop m, whendesired. To the edge of said swinging door C is attached an arm, D, which passes through a rest t or loop of wire or other suitable material, marked d, upon the front edge of the top of the trap, said arm inclining to one side and being provided with a series of ratchet-teeth, which catch upon the rest d, and thus prevent the .l

door from being opened by pressure against it from within. E represents a platform arranged in the bottom ofA thel trap, as shown,` being suspended upon centrally arranged pivots, e, at each end, soas to have a rocking `or l oscillating movement upon its said supports, as is hereinafter described. At the front edge of said platform, E, and' at one end, there is attached, in any suitable manner, a bar, F, arranged in a nearly vertical position,`

its upper end inclining upon the periphery of a ratchet-wheel, G, and operating as a pawl thereupon, as hereinshown. Upon the inner face of the said ratchetwheel there is secured, so as to turn with it, a drum of `less diameter, marked I, from which projects, radially, a pin, l, which, as `the ratchet-wheel revolves, strikes upon and raises one end of the lever H, which is pivoted at h, so that the raising of one end of said lever bythe pin .t

"after speciiied. The said ratchet-wheel is supported by a shaft, g, fixed in the end of the trap, and having a. .n head upon its outer end, so that a spring, s, is arranged betweensaid head and the face of the ratchet-hechas t l moves the opposite end thereof against the latch n, so as to move it out laterally` upon its` pivot, as before mentioned.

Having described the nature and construction of my said invention, I will n ow describe its operation: The l trap having been set, as indicated in figs. 1', 3, and 4, the ratchet-wheel being so adjustedasto permit the required number of movements to the platform E, `before bringing the pin Zin contact with the levier` H, which lregulates the number of animals which may pass in or out singly'beforefthe trap will close, asthe first one.` cautiously enters to find himself "uninjured, thus raising the pawl F and moving t'he ratchet-wheel one notch;`

after feeding upon the bait he 'returns uninjured and without closing the trap; his companions, inferring thatall is safe,ent'er without fear, and in numbers, until pin l raises the lever H, and moves the latch n from its support, m, when the door, C, drops into the position shown -in g. 2, and in dotted lines in'g. 4, the teeth upon the arm D preventing the door from yielding upwards by any pressure which may be brought against it from Within. As said door is closing, if it should chance that an animal should be escaping so that the lower edge of the door should rest upon itsl back, its Weight would close it down immediately behind, so as to prevent others from escaping from the trap.

Having described the construction and operation of my invention, I will' n'ow specify 'what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent: l

` 1. I .claimthe combination of the pivoted platform E, and the arm F, arranged and operatingr substantially as and for the purposes described. I l

2. I claim, in combination with said platform E and arm F, the ratchet-wheel G, provided With a finger, l, ,Y

operating substantially as specified. ,l Y

3. In combination with said ratchet-Wheel Gr, I claim the arrangement of the spring s, to hold the wheel rfrom moving backwhilethe arm F recedes, in the manner described. 'll v 4. I claim the combination of the spur-wheel G, provided with the pin Z and the lever H, arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purposes described.

GREVILLE E. CLARKE. Witnesses z D. McDoNAnD, -ELBERT O. HAND. 

